TBWA/Hakuhodo-Tokyo : Mirai Nihon

Can we live without modern infrastructure? That's the question posed by Mirai Nihon, a project from TBWA/Hakuhodo in Tokyo, which says it was prompted by the wake-up call of the Japanese tsumani to explore ideas for a future not reliant on energy.

It decided to create a house that can run 'off grid', teaming up with companies such as Nissan, NEC and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to develop new technologies that power the house (for example, a Nissan Leaf car can act as a generator, and a Crystal Valley water purification system provides safe water for the house). The 'Aerohouse', designed by Solor Design Lab, is a portable wooden structure providing a physical platform for the project; TBWA says it's not just for individual homeowners, but could be brought to cities and villages all over the world, including disaster areas.